Yemen

Economy:
Yemen has adopted an economic policy based on free economy. The market mechanism encourages the private sector giving it a major role in the development of the country’s economy. The economic policy ensures private ownership, which cannot be forfeited except for public interest and only with fair compensation. The investment law has created many investments opportunities and provided incentives to local and foreign investment in all sectors of the economy.

Entry Ports and Places:
It is possible to enter the Republic of Yemen through all international airports of Sana’a, Aden, Al Hodeidah, Al Rayan and Taiz. You can also enter through the main seaports : Aden port (the free Zone and the biggest port in Yemen) ,Al Hodeidah on the Red Sea, Al Mokha on the Red Sea and Al Mukala on the Arabian Sea.

It is possible to enter to Yemen through land border crossings, such as Haradh and Al Buqa’a in the North (from Saudi Arabia) and Hadnut in the East (from Oman).

Airports:
Sana’a International Airport is located 15 km to the north of city. There are also international and domestic airports in Taiz, Aden, Riyan, Seyun, Hodeidah, Al Ghadah, and Socotra Island.

Alcoholic drinks
Non- Muslim visitors are permitted to import alcoholic beverages for private consumption. Drinking in public places is prohibited.

Food:
You can have local various food palates in public restaurants or in first-class hotels that feature restaurants with continental dishes. Pork is not available.

Clothing:
It is advisable to bring with you warmer clothes for the cold mountainous areas, and light clothes for warm deserts and coastal areas.
Ladies don’t have to dress definitely the Yemeni way but they should dress modestly in the public places. Bare shoulders and miniskirts are frowned upon. The same goes for kissing in public.

Photography:
Tourists should not take pictures of women, military sites, police personnel, and installations.

Entry Regulations:
Entry visas to Yemen are available very easily from all Yemeni embassies or consulates. Citizens from countries included in the Visa’s List (See Visas are permitted to obtain visas at their arrival to the Yemeni entry ports.

In countries without Yemeni diplomatic representation, visitors may get a transit visa valid for 96 days which can be renewed at the entry port. Every visitor to Yemen receives, immediately upon arrival, a permit to stay one month. Within this period, you do not need to register with the police or get a departure permit.

Visas:
Holders of EEC passports and G8 nations can now obtain entry visas at boarder of the airport. For countries where Yemen has no diplomatic representation, visas can be arranged locally. This service is usually available at travel agencies in Yemen. Travelers to Yemen< require a passport that is valid for at least six months. Visas are valid for three months from the day of issue

Traveling in Yemen:
Whether you are looking for a self-guided tour of Yemen or want to join a guided tour, you will most likely find one at InfoHub.com. Below you’ll find some of the best guided and self-guided Yemen tours available. Many of these Yemen tour packages feature unique tourism opportunities that you are not likely to find anywhere else. Click on the tour name to see the tour details. You can contact the tour operator to ask questions, order a free brochure, or inquire about availability with no obligations to purchase.

Background:
“Arabia Felix” in Latin and “Arabia Eudemon” in Greek, Yemen was called so in the ancient world, both names mean “Arabia the Blessed”. This was because of its fertile land that grew cereals, fruit,
resin, spices and aromatic trees that produced fragrant substances such as, frankincense and myrrh which were used in the ritual ceremonies in ancient temples.

In Yemen, great civilizations were established. The most renowned civilization was Saba or Sheba. The Sabaeans established dams to irrigate their lands and they constructed the greatest dam
in the ancient world, the Marib Dam in about 610 BC. It’s remains are still intact. The kingdom of Sheba flourished and became wealthy due to its control over trade routes between ancient eastern and western civilizations. One of the Sabaean rulers was the Queen Bilquis (the Queen of Sheba) who became famous after she undertook a journey to meet the Prophet Solomon.

The story of this queen is mentioned in the Holy Quran and the Bible. She established her capital in Marib (about 2500 yeas ago). Many remains of the queen’s throne and temples have remained almost
intact so far. Hence, Marib is considered one of the most significant archeological sites in Yemen.

In the 17th century, Yemen had an excellent reputation in Europe for trading in Yemeni coffee, which was considered the finest in those times. The Red Sea Mokha port (some of the famous coffee
shops bear the name of Mokha in Europe) had become one of the busiest ports of its day. Some European merchant transported Yemeni coffee plants to several regions in the world such as
Indonesia, Brazil and Jamaica.

Location:
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and
Red Sea, between Oman and Saudi Arabia
Geographic coordinates:
15 00 N, 48 00 E
Map references:
Middle East
Area:
Total: 527,970 sq km
Land: 527,970 sq km
Water: 0 sq km
note: includes Perim, Socotra, the former Yemen
Arab Republic (YAR or North Yemen), and the former
People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (PDRY or South
Yemen)
Area - comparative:
Slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming
Land boundaries:
Total: 1,746 km
border countries:
Oman 288 km, Saudi Arabia 1,458 km
Coastline:
1,906 km
Climate:
Mostly desert; hot and humid along west coast; temperate
in western mountains affected by seasonal monsoon;
extraordinarily hot, dry, harsh desert in east
Terrain:
Narrow coastal plain backed by flat-topped hills and rugged
mountains; dissected upland desert plains in center slope
into the desert interior of the Arabian Peninsula
Elevation extremes:
Lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
Highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shuayb 3,760 m
Natural resources:
Petroleum, fish, rock salt, marble; small deposits of coal,
gold, lead, nickel, and copper; fertile soil in west
Population:
21,456,188 (July 2006 est.)
Nationality:
Yemeni(s)
Ethnic groups:
Predominantly Arab; but also Afro-Arab, South Asians,
Europeans
Religions:
Muslim including Shaf’i (Sunni) and Zaydi (Shi’a), small
numbers of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu
Languages:
Arabic
Country name:
Conventional long form: Republic of Yemen
Conventional short form: Yemen
Local long form: Al Jumhuriyah al Yamaniyah
Local short form: Al Yaman
Former: Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa) or North
Yemen] and People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen
[Yemen (Aden) or South Yemen]
Government type:
Republic
Capital:
Sanaa
Administrative divisions:
19 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah);
Abyan, ‘Adan, Ad Dali’, Al Bayda’, Al Hudaydah, Al Jawf, Al
Mahrah, Al Mahwit, ‘Amran, Dhamar, Hadramawt, Hajjah,
Ibb, Lahij, Ma’rib, Sa’dah, San’a’, Shabwah, Ta’izz
note: for electoral and administrative purposes, the capital
city of Sanaa is treated as an additional governorate
Independence:
22 May 1990 (Republic of Yemen established with the
merger of the Yemen Arab Republic [Yemen (Sanaa)
or North Yemen] and the Marxist-dominated People’s
Democratic Republic of Yemen [Yemen (Aden) or South
Yemen])
National holiday:
Unification Day, 22 May (1990)
Currency :
Yemeni rial (YER)
Exchange rates:
Yemeni rials per US dollar - 197.18 (2006), 192.67 (2005),

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